The Beatles - Abbey Road

The Beatles – Abbey Road

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‘Abbey Road’ was The Beatles crowning achievement and last recorded output as a band. It signed off the sixties decade perfectly!

Written by: Explorer

ARTIST: The Beatles
ALBUM: Abbey Road
LABEL: Apple
SERIAL: PCS 7088
YEAR: 1969

CD REISSUE: Discogs Reissue List

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Flag England

LINEUP: John Lennon – guitars, piano, vocals * Paul McCartney – bass, piano, vocals * George Harrison – guitar, vocals * Ringo Starr – drums, vocals * Billy Preston – organ

TRACK LISTING: 01 Come Together * 02 Something * 03 Maxwell’s Silver Hammer * 04 Oh! Darling * 05 Octopus’s Garden * 06 I Want You (She’s So Heavy) * 07 Here Comes The Sun * 08 Because * 09 You Never Give Me My Money * 10 Sun King * 11 Mean Mr Mustard * 12 Polythene Pam * 13 She Came In Through The Bathroom Window * 14 Golden Slumbers * 15 Carry That Weight * 16 The End * 17 Her Majesty

WEBLINKS: Site Link | FB Page

Background

The last Beatles album to be recorded, although not the last to be released, that honour would go to ‘Let It Be’. By this time the band were in all sorts of trouble. There were arguments over who should manage the band, with McCartney at odds with the other three, and also tension over the recording process.

It was finally decided that George Martin would, once more produce the band but with the proviso that they would allow Martin to produce the record in the same manner as earlier albums and that strict discipline would be adhered to. This method obviously worked as this is arguably their very best album.

The Songs

What is it that makes ‘Abbey Road’ such a musical masterpiece? Well, for a start the sheer breadth of the musical vision, the ‘off the scale’ readings of the band’s collective musical imagination and all this at a time when The Beatles were coming to the end of their time together.

The result was staggeringly beautiful, and not only a testament to the songwriting skills of McCartney and Lennon, but it finally gained George Harrison equal footing as a composer.

The songs ‘Something’ (the first Harrison song on the A-side of a Beatles’ single) and ‘Here Comes the Sun’ both represent Harrison’s greatest achievements as a Beatle, and are highlights of the ‘Abbey Road’ album rather than secondary songs of limited importance on previous albums.

Along with Harrison’s contributions, the album has two great Lennon tracks ‘Come Together’ and one of the best Beatles hard rock pieces ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’, while McCartney, who had already clearly taken the lead in the group from a recording production standpoint, offers ‘Oh Darling’ and ‘You Never Give Me Your Money’ principally.

The harmonies of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison on ‘Because’ are astoundingly beautiful. But it is the shared aspect of the 16 minute Medley (which includes ‘You Never Give Me Your Money’, ‘Sun King’, ‘Mean Mr. Mustard’, ‘Polythene Pam’, ‘She Came in Through the Bathroom Window’, ‘Golden Slumbers’, ‘Carry That Weight’ and ‘The End’) which acts as the culmination of all things Beatles, a stunning climax to an unequalled string of successes and superlative albums.

In Summary

This album is a fitting end to the greatest band ever. Yes I know there are still arguments raging over who that accolade should go to, but let’s just remember that the 60’s was a decade of change and finally an awakening for the post WWII era, and not just in musical terms but also in sociocultural terms as well.

The Beatles influence on music has been well documented, but I think, and it’s just my opinion of course, that their influence went far beyond that and they changed the world (for better or for worse), and the landscape, musical or otherwise has never been the same since.

Oh, and finally let’s not forget the iconic album artwork. I’ve still yet to visit and have my photograph taken there, but it’s on my bucket list.

Video

Here Comes The Sun (2019 Mix)

The Beatles - Here Comes The Sun (2019 Mix)


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